


Green Light

by buoyantsaturn



Series: Prompts [16]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, M/M, Spring Break, Underage Drinking, theyre both oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-22 05:45:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16591955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buoyantsaturn/pseuds/buoyantsaturn
Summary: [To: lightning mcleannico said he wants me to come on spring break!! maybe he really doesnt hate me!!][From: lightning mcleanoh cool, so you finally got your head out of your ass? better start packing we’re leaving friday]its a fic of this headcanon list





	Green Light

**Author's Note:**

> hello this was originally going to be my college fic for solangelo week but that didnt happen so here it is now instead!!! i hope you like it!!  
> as with all prompts the title is by lorde!!

Everyone was aware of the mutual crushing of Will and Nico - people within the friend group, people outside of the group - except for, of course, the two boys in question. They’d had heart eyes for each other since day one of freshman year of college, though somehow Nico had gotten the idea that Will wasn’t interested in him, and Will had taken Nico’s shy quietness as some form of hatred for him. No matter how many times everyone else tried to convince Will that Nico did not, in fact, hate him, Will never believed them, regardless of how much time they all spent together and the numerous group chats that Nico and Will were in together. 

It was nearing spring break during their sophomore year. Since Piper’s dad had lost his house in California, it had been decided that everyone would spend the week at Nico’s family’s home in Los Angeles. Everyone except for Will, apparently, because he’d been leaving everyone on read instead of answering whether or not he would be joining them. 

Nico, who was sick of waiting for Will to give a straight answer and who was also desperate to spend time with Will outside of a dorm building, tracked Will down while he was in class and waited outside the door. 

Will, who took Nico’s constant glaring at him and their stilted conversations as a strong dislike for him, jumped when Nico came up to him in the hallway after class, arms crossed and glaring. 

“Why aren’t you answering your texts?” Nico demanded immediately.

“I was in class,” Will said defensively, gesturing behind him to the classroom door where other students were still spilling out of the room. 

“You know what I meant,” Nico said. “Are you coming with us for spring break or not?”

Will’s gaze dropped to the ground and he shrugged. “I, uh, I don’t know. I kind of assumed that you wouldn’t want me to--”

“I wouldn’t want you to what?” Nico cut in, eyebrows furrowing and making him look both angrier and more confused. 

“It’s your house, and I didn’t think you would want me all up in your space for a week,” Will finished. 

Nico’s head cocked to the side, and Will had to admit that he looked incredibly cute, death glare and all. “Of course I want you there, you idiot, you’re part of the group. So, are you coming or not?”

Will’s brain needed a second to catch up with the rest of him.  _ I want you there, _ he repeated to himself. Nico  _ wanted _ him there! Maybe that meant that he didn’t hate him! “Uh, yeah, okay. Sure, I’ll come. Let me know the flight information and whatever so I can get my plane tickets.”

Nico watched him for a second like he thought Will might change his mind in the next second. “Okay, I will. See you later.” He turned and walked down the hall, around the corner and out of sight. 

_ I want you, _ Will’s brain started to repeat again. Not like that, Will had to tell himself. Don’t do anything stupid to get back on his bad side.

He pulled out his phone and sent a text off to Piper.

 

_ [To: lightning mclean _

_ nico said he wants me to come on spring break!! maybe he really doesnt hate me!!] _

 

_ [From: lightning mclean _

_ oh cool, so you finally got your head out of your ass? better start packing we’re leaving friday] _

 

_ [kool(aid) kids; From: lightning mclean _

_ hey Will finally agreed to come to cali with us!] _

 

When he got back to his room, Will found Frank already packing to leave, despite the fact that it was only Monday.

“Hey, I hear you’re coming with us!” Frank said as Will dropped his backpack onto his desk. 

“Yeah, Nico came to my class and convinced me,” Will told him. 

“Really? You guys are talking again?”

Will shrugged, sitting down at his desk. “I guess. Maybe. We’ll have to see. Maybe I’ll get uninvited later this week and be out a few hundred dollars on non-refundable plane tickets.”

He couldn’t see it, but Will was sure that Frank rolled his eyes. “He’s not going to uninvite you. He wants you there, I know it. And I know that  _ you _ want to be there. Maybe you guys can get drunk and finally confess your feelings for each other and come back after break as the mushy, gross couple you were always destined to be.”

Will snorted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t like Nico and he  _ certainly _ doesn’t like me.”

“Sure.”

“I don’t! I  _ no longer  _ like him. I’ve gotten over him. I’m moving on. After break, I’ll start looking for somebody else. Or maybe I’ll even have a fling or something in California. That’s a California-kind-of-thing to do, right?”

Frank sighed. “As your future brother-in-law, I have to tell you that you’re an idiot.”

“Future what? How the hell is that going to happen?” Will asked.

“I’m going to marry Hazel,” Frank explained, “and you’re going to marry Nico. You’re an idiot for a lot of reasons, but one of them is thinking that you’re over him.”

“You sound awfully sure of yourself.”

“Oh, I am.”

 

* * *

 

Will and Piper had split a Lyft to the airport. Everyone else had already left before them, but Will and Piper had had a late class that afternoon that kept them from leaving with everyone else.

For possibly the hundredth time that month, Piper was trying to convince Will that he should either ask Nico out or get over him already and find someone new. Will was incredibly grateful for the three minutes spent going through security where he could get away from Piper to gather his arguments. 

“Okay,” Will said as they made their way to their gate. “As I told Frank last week, I’m gonna get over Nico. I’m gonna… When we get back, I’ll start looking for somebody else. Maybe I’ll even do something crazy and have a fling over break. We’ve got time before the plane takes off, too, so I could even try to find somebody here to hook up with in California.”

“Sure, Will,” Piper said, already guessing what Will might say next.

They found their gate, along with all of their friends waiting for the plane to start boarding. Will’s eyes found Nico among the crowd and he immediately cut off his own rambling.

“Except that I don’t even know how to go about having a fling with a stranger, so maybe I’ll just lay low over break and start my search back at school.”

Piper rolled her eyes and went to take a seat between Jason and Annabeth.

It was about twenty minutes before they were all seated on the plane. Will had gotten to his much desired window seat to see that Leo had claimed his spot, stating that they could trade seats. Will tried to argue until Nico brushed past him and claimed the aisle seat of that row, and suddenly Will couldn’t find it in himself to argue. He squeezed into the seat between them and tried not to hyperventilate when Nico’s arm brushed against his on the arm rest.

Leo looked smug, like this had been his plan all along. Will didn’t think he would be able to survive the flight. Nico popped a Xanax before the plane had even started moving, and he was asleep with his head on Will’s shoulder in about twenty minutes. Will was afraid to breathe at the risk of waking him up.

 

It took two Ubers to get them all to Nico’s dad’s house. Nico explained that his dad was away on business for the week, and that all the guest rooms were up for grabs (just stay out of his and Hazel’s rooms. And his dad’s).

Hazel pointed them all to the guest rooms before her and Frank took their things into a room that had sparkly foam letters spelling out  _ Hazel _ on the door. Will saw Nico walk through a plain door directly across from Hazel’s room.

Each of the couples had claimed the guest rooms, and Leo had already called the bed in the last one. Will figured this meant that he would be sleeping on the floor all week.

Everyone had settled in and moved back to the main floor, where Percy and Annabeth announced that they were going on a booze run, so everyone had better tell them what to buy. Pizza was ordered and arrived just minutes after Percy and Annabeth’s return, and so they toasted to spring break with a shot of Fireball before the partying began. 

Will hung back while everyone else poured themselves drinks, figuring that at least one of them should stay sober in case of an emergency. He didn’t bother trying to keep track of how much everyone was drinking, mostly because he knew that everyone needed to let off a little steam, and also because he wanted to see if Frank had been right - maybe Nico  _ would _ confess his feelings if he was inebriated. Not that Will expected Nico to have feelings for  _ him _ of all people, but he could dream.

Unfortunately, the others must have noticed that Will hadn’t been drinking all night, so they’d slowed themselves down without telling Nico, meaning that while Nico was absolutely hammered, the rest of them were just past tipsy. And when Nico started throwing up, the soberest of them all was voted to watch over them. Will was certain that everyone else could have taken care of Nico, and that he was singled out solely for the crush that he  _ didn’t have, _ but having an excuse to sleep in Nico’s room instead of Leo’s? He’d take it.

Nico had clung to Will as they walked from the bathroom back to his room, and had tried to drag Will into bed with him when he told Nico to lay down. 

“Woah, Nico--” Will tried as Nico tugged on his arm. “Hang on, let me go get you some water.”

Nico groaned. “No, stay.” He pulled on Will’s arm once more, and if Will hadn’t caught himself, he would have fallen directly on top of him. 

“I’ll be right back,” Will promised him. “By the time you change into your pajamas, I’ll be back. And I’ll stay here all night. Okay?”

Nico huffed. “Fine.” He let go of Will and flopped over onto his side, away from Will, like a kid who was sent to bed without dessert. 

“Hey, don’t fall asleep before I get back,” Will told him. “You need water, or you’ll feel even worse in the morning. Put on your PJs, I’ll be right back.”

He turned and left, running down to the kitchen to grab a glass of water and hurrying back to Nico’s room. Nico had shed his jeans, leaving him in boxers and the t-shirt he’d been wearing. Will set the water on Nico’s nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. 

“Don’t you want to change out of that shirt?” Will suggested. “It’s all sweaty, and I’m pretty sure you threw up on it, too.”

Nico groaned again and sat up, raising his arms over his head and waiting for Will to do the rest. He hesitated before reaching over and tugging the shirt over Nico’s head, and tried not to stare as Nico got up to find himself a new shirt. He came back to the bed, with a new t-shirt that he’d put on backwards, and surprised Will by dragging him down with him.

“Wait, hold on,” Will said, and sat a whining Nico back up. He reached over and grabbed the glass, then held it to Nico’s lips to drink. “Okay, now you can sleep.”

Nico flopped back and clutched the front of Will’s shirt, preventing him from leaving but giving him enough room to set the glass back on the nightstand. Nico tugged on his shirt until they were laying on their sides, face to face, and Nico tucked his head underneath Will’s chin, his hand still grasping Will’s shirt tightly.

“Can’t I go put on my pajamas before we go to sleep?” Will asked, but Nico threw his leg over Will’s to pin him down.

“No. You were gone enough. Sleep.”

“I...um, okay.” Will carefully draped an arm around Nico’s waist, and he heard Nico sigh contentedly. 

 

Nico couldn’t remember how he’d gotten to bed the night before, but for some reason he couldn’t shake the feeling that the bed beside him shouldn’t have been empty. It was like however much alcohol that was still circulating in his bloodstream was trying to tell him what his hangover was trying to make him forget.

He was trying to force himself to remember - which only aggravated his pounding headache - when his door opened. Normally, if someone came in unannounced, he would yell at them for invading his privacy, but he felt like even opening his mouth would make him throw up right then, so he settled for a groan - which came out more like a whine - and pulled a pillow over his head.

“Good morning,” Will’s voice came from across the room, and Nico ripped the pillow from off his head. He didn’t know if he was confused as to why Will would come to wake him up, or if he expected it. Will, who seemed to have a general dislike for Nico, wouldn’t go out of his way to take care of him in his hungover state. But Will, the medical student who cared for everyone whether they wanted him to or not, probably couldn’t hold himself back from delivering painkillers and glasses of water to everyone in the house.

That’s what it was, Nico told himself. Will wasn’t treating him like he was anything special, he was just doing what he always did. 

He looked up at Will as he walked into the room, having closed the door behind himself, and he sat down next to Nico on the bed -  _ like he belonged there, _ Nico couldn’t help but think, and some itty bitty part of himself (the part that was still drunk) told him that Will  _ did  _ belong there.

Will smiled down at him, and Nico was surprised to find that he didn’t want to punch Will in the face. He always hated seeing smiling people when he was hungover, but Will’s smile must’ve been some kind of magic. Just seeing it seemed to cure Nico’s hangover completely.

“I wasn’t expecting you to get up on your own,” Will told him, handing over the glass of water, “especially not this early. I mean, you slept like the dead, but we were up pretty late.”

Nico frowned, taking a pause. “Right,” he said, drawing out the word. “And...why were we up late?”

“Oh.” Will’s smile faltered just for a second, and from then on it looked fake and forced. “Well, uh, you must’ve drank too much, because you were throwing up, and I was the only one that was still sober so I… _was_ _nominated_ to take care of you. I hope you don’t mind, I slept in here with you last night. You were, uh, kinda clingy and wouldn’t let me go, so I didn’t really have much choice.”

Nico didn’t know how to respond, so he didn’t. He took the painkillers that Will held out to him, and downed them with the glass of water.

“Anyway, uh,” Will continued, springing up from the bed and standing awkwardly beside it. “We’re all going down to the beach in about an hour, which is why I came to get you up. And Leo made breakfast, if you’re up for eating. So--” He scratched the back of his neck in discomfort. “Yeah.”

He turned on his heel and left the room.

 

* * *

 

Jason and Piper must have made it their mission to point out every moderately attractive person on the beach, just to get Will his casual fling, but the mission proved pointless as Will still couldn’t keep his attention off of Nico for longer than ten minutes. He pestered him about drinking enough water and reapplying sunscreen every few hours, and he barely even went in the ocean because that would put Nico too far out of his line of sight, or something.

Even later that night, once the booze had been busted out again and Nico was pouring himself a glass, Will snatched it out of his hand.

“Hey, give that back,” Nico demanded, but Will held it up and out of his reach.

“Nope, no way,” Will said. “You need to give your liver a break.”

“Somebody’s gotta drink it.” Nico crossed his arms and glared up at the blond. “I don’t see  _ you _ drinking your fair share.”

Will held Nico’s gaze stubbornly for a few moments before downing the entire concoction that Nico had created for himself. He started coughing almost immediately after the last swallow.

“Oh, god,” Will wheezed. “What was in that?”

“What  _ wasn’t _ in that?” Nico countered. “What, was it too strong for you? Can’t handle your liquor, Solace?”

“I can handle it! Are you calling me a lightweight?”

“And what if I am?”

“I’m  _ not.” _

“Prove it.”

“Fine!” Will set the glass down on the counter beside them. “You promise not to drink anything but water all night, and I’ll prove I’m not a lightweight by drinking as much as you would on any normal night.”

“But Will,” Nico said, voice sweet though Will knew that his words were anything but, “this is  _ spring break, _ it’s not  _ just any _ normal night.”

Will felt fear sink in his stomach. Or maybe that was just the alcohol.

Nico made each of his drinks that night, insisting that if Will  _ really _ wanted to match Nico’s drinking abilities, then he needed his drinks  _ strong. _ By the time he’d finished his third drink, Will was sprawled out on the couch with his head in Nico’s lap, smiling dopily up at him while Nico chatted with the others throughout the room - Will was so out of it that he didn’t pick up on everyone teasing Nico for how stiffly he was sitting.

He reached up and poked at Nico’s cheek, again and again until Nico finally glared down at him. Will pouted back at him, exaggerating the expression enough to make himself laugh, and Nico’s face softened at the sight.

“You’re pretty when you smile,” Will told him, pressing the corner of his lips up, and Nico swatted his hand away. “You’re pretty  _ all the time, _ but  _ especially _ when you smile. Will you smile for me?  _ Please?” _ He reached up again to touch Nico’s face, but this time when Nico swatted at his hand, he grabbed it and held it down, laughing as he did so. “There it is! See? You’re pretty!”

“Shut up, Will,” Nico told him without any bite.

Will’s own smile died down until it was almost gone, and he sighed. “I wish you didn’t hate me.”

Nico furrowed his brow, looking like he was glaring down at Will, but by now he recognized it as Nico’s confused face. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t like it when pretty people hate me,” Will continued. “I like dating pretty people, not hating pretty people.” He snorted rather unattractively. “Hey, I rhymed! I’m  _ hilarious.” _

“You think I hate you?” Nico asked.

Will rolled his eyes and said, “Uh,  _ yeah,” _ like it should have been obvious.

Nico squeezed Will’s hand. “I  _ don’t _ hate you, Will. I... _ opposite _ hate you.” He felt like his heart was beating out of his chest. Will thought he  _ hated him? _ Was that why Will always acted so distant around him? “Besides, drunk compliments don’t really mean anything.”

Will pouted and looked away. “You just don’t want my compliment ‘cause you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you,” Nico promised him. “Tell me again in the morning, when you’re sober. I might even...say it back, then.”

“You think I’m pretty, too?” Will asked, and his smile was back to full strength. Nico felt like his face was on fire.

 

Will woke up in the morning with his face squished into the couch cushion. His head was pounding and he’d fallen asleep in his jeans for the second night in a row. He groaned as he rolled off the couch, landing on the floor with a thud, right next to his phone. Will unlocked it to check the time, and found it open to his notes, to one that he didn’t remember writing.

He stumbled into the kitchen, trying to recall what had happened the night before that would have caused him to write that note. He’d been planning on grabbing a glass of water, but found Nico watching the coffee pot brew. He hesitated in the doorway, and Nico looked up.

“Hi,” Nico said, smiling softly at him, and Will saw a flash of Nico smiling and laughing, angled like Will was laying in his lap. Was that what happened the night before, how he ended up with the note on his phone and wound up asleep on the couch?

“Hi,” Will said back. He stepped closer and offered Nico his phone. “I, uh, found this? And I was hoping that maybe you could help me understand?”

Nico took the phone, read the note, and raised an eyebrow at Will. “What is there to understand?”

Will reclaimed his phone, reading over the note once again.  _ Tell Nico he’s pretty. _ “I feel like I’m missing something.”

“Well, yeah, of course there was  _ more _ to it,” Nico told him, grabbing two mugs out of the cabinet and setting them on the counter. “Maybe you should do what the note says, and I’ll fill you in on what happened last night.”

Will frowned. “Why do I feel like you’re just going to make fun of me?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Just say it.”

Will crossed his arms and looked at the floor. “Fine. I… I think you’re pretty.”

Nico cracked a grin. “You said a lot more than that, last night,” he teased.

“Just tell me what I said!” Will groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

Nico poured himself some coffee, and some for Will, too. “You told me about how you like to  _ date _ pretty people,  _ heavily _ implying that you want to date  _ me.” _

Will groaned louder.

“You  _ also _ said that it sucks when pretty people hate you, because then you can’t date them,” Nico continued, before taking a sip of his coffee.

Will dropped his hands and slumped against the counter. “Alright, I get it. I said some dumb shit while I was drunk, and now you’re never gonna let me live it down. It’s a stupid crush, okay? Just because you hate me, doesn’t mean you have to rub this in my face.”

Nico handed Will the second mug of coffee. “Lucky for you, I  _ don’t _ hate you. Actually, I, uh, kind of...like you? I mean, I think you’re pretty, too. So, if you think I’m pretty,  _ and _ you know I don’t hate you, then I  _ probably _ wouldn’t say no if you wanted to ask me out.”

“What?” Will shouted. “What the  _ hell,  _ Nico? Why would you say it like that?” He cringed, pressing the heel of his palm into his forehead, trying to dull his hangover. “Ugh, I’m never drinking again.”

Nico stepped toward him and took the coffee cup from his hand, setting both of them down on the counter. He reached up, cradling Will’s head and massaging his temples. “You know, there’s this diner about ten minutes away, right downtown. They make a great greasy breakfast, perfect for hangovers. Would you want to go, maybe? With me?”

Will’s eyes slipped shut, and he leaned into Nico’s touch. “That sounds amazing.”

“So, it’s a date?” Nico asked hopefully.

Will smiled softly down at him. “Promise you don’t hate me?”

“Promise,” Nico said. “I, like,  _ opposite _ hate you.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!!


End file.
